Sixthly, we have the grant of pardon sealed in our consciences, and possess it privately in part, but as yet the Judge hath not solemnly pronounced his sentence of absolution, nor set us in full and real possession, of absolute, complete, entire acquittance & remission. This therefore we expect, and pray for, which will not be till the time of refreshing come.1 So long as we walk by faith, and not by sight, we still pray for the sight of that, as touching which we have now but the comfort of faith and hope, which is in part and imperfect. By faith we know that we are redeemed both in soul and body,2 yet still we sigh in our selves, waiting for the adoption, even the redemption of our bodies. Our adversaries object again, that by praying that Christs merits may be made ours in particular, we greatly abase them As though the prophet David did abase God in making him his in particular, saying,3 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, my God and my strength, my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my ⟨p. 111⟩refuge: The Lord is my shepherd,4 I shall not want which agreeth sweetly with the voice of the faithful, He is our God, and he will save us; 5He is our Lord (not only by right of sovereignty, but of love and affection) and he will save us. As though Elihu did abase God in calling him, My Father; or Thomas did did abase our Saviour Christ in calling him,6 My Lord and my God; or Paul, when he glorieth and triumpheth in Christ after this manner,7 who loved me and gave himself for me; viz, in a special and peculiar manner, and not only as he loved Esau, Judas, and other reprobates. We do no injury to God to make him ours in particular, because he hath said,8 as to Abraham, so to every one of the seed of Abraham, I will be thy God. We do no injury, because we do not thereby make him our peculiar, but leave him the same to others, that he is to us, as every man enjoyeth the light of the Sun to his own use, without the impeachment thereof to the use of any other man. A third reason to confirm, that a Christian believer may be assured of the pardon of his sins, is this: What the Apostles and other faithful men were assured of by ordinary faith, that may all the faithful be assured of in like manner.9 For all the faithful are Brethren and have the like precious faith and promises.
Sixtly, we haue the grant of pardon sealed in our consciences, and possesse it priuately in part, but as yet the Iudge hath not solemnely pronounced his sentence of absolution, nor set vs in full and reall possession, of absolute, compleate, intire acquittance & remission. This therefore we expect, and pray for, which will not be till the time of refreshing come.1 So long as we walke by faith, and not by sight, we still pray for the sight of that, as touching which we haue now but the comfort of faith and hope, which is in part and imperfect. By faith we know that we are redeemed both in soule and body,2 yet still we sigh in our selues, waiting for the adoption, euen the redemption of our bodies. Our aduersaries obiect againe, that by praying that Christs merits may be made ours in particular, we greatly abase them As though the prophet Dauid did abase God in making him his in particular, saying,3 The Lord is my rock, and my fortresse, my God and my strength, my sheild, the horne of my saluation, and my ⟨p. 111⟩refuge: The Lord is my sheepeheard,4 I shall not want which agreeth sweetely with the voyce of the faithfull, He is our God, and hee will saue vs; 5Hee is our Lord (not onely by right of soueraignetie, but of loue and affection) and he will saue vs. As though Elihu did abase God in calling him, My Father; or Thomas did did abase our Sauiour Christ in calling him,6 My Lord and my God; or Paul, when he glorieth and triumpheth in Christ after this manner,7 who loued me and gaue himselfe for mee; viz, in a speciall and peculiar manner, and not onely as hee loued Esau, Iudas, and other reprobates. Wee doe no iniurie to God to make him ours in particular, because hee hath said,8 as to Abraham, so to euery one of the seede of Abraham, I will be thy God. Wee doe no iniurie, because we doe not thereby make him our peculiar, but leaue him the same to others, that hee is to vs, as euery man enioyeth the light of the Sunne to his owne vse, without the impeachment thereof to the vse of any other man. A third reason to confirme, that a Christian belieuer may be assured of the pardon of his sinnes, is this: What the Apostles and other faithfull men were assured of by ordinarie faith, that may all the faithfull bee assured of in like manner.
- 1Acts 3.19.
- 2Rom. 8.23.
- 3Psalm. 18.1.2.
- 4Psalm. 23.1.
- 5Isay 25.9. Isay 33.22. Job 34.36.Isay 25.9. Isay 33.22. Iob 34.36.
- 6John 20.28.Iohn 20.28.
- 7Gal. 2.20. Phil. 1.3.
- 8Jer. 31.32.33. and 32.38. and 30.22.Ier. 31.32.33. and 32.38. and 30.22.
- 9Heb. 2.11.
